Although the present invention and the problem it addresses can be applied to any servers, they will be described in detail with regard to in-flight entertainment (IFE) servers for aircraft.
In modern aircraft, an appropriate entertainment programme is offered to the passengers, depending on the type and duration of the flight. For example, in this respect, on short-haul flights, the same film can be shown to all the passengers on monitors which are fitted above the passengers' heads under the lockers or on the ceiling or on the walls of the aircraft.
Usually, the longer the flight, the wider the range of entertainment provided in the aircraft. Thus, for example, the seats of an intercontinental flight aircraft can have a monitor in the headrest. As a result, it is possible for every passenger to have his/her own display. Likewise, connection facilities for passengers' headphones can be provided at each seat. Consequently, every passenger can individually receive a radio programme or, for example, the sound to a film.
In order to be able to offer entertainment programmes of this type in an aircraft, at present so-called IFE servers are usually used which provide the audio and video material. These servers are usually fitted in an installation site, specifically provided for IFE servers of this type, in an aircraft.
Therefore, this installation site is reserved in every aircraft for an IFE server. This site is also reserved even if an IFE server is not provided, or if only a relatively small IFE server is provided in the aircraft. Consequently, the installation space in aircraft, which in any case is very limited, is restricted further and maintaining an installation site for an IFE server including the mechanical attachment means and the cabling increases the weight of the aircraft and the complexity of the cable harness of the aircraft.
This is a situation which should be avoided.
EP 1 444 586 B1 indicates a possibility of installing a second host computer in addition to a first host computer which is already present, in an electronic system of an aircraft. As a result, it is possible for example to integrate an IFE server into an existing electronic system of an aircraft. It is therefore unnecessary to reserve the installation site for an IFE server. However, this solution is not very flexible, because only a low-power IFE server can be arranged in the electronic system in the restricted installation space.